Growing in Christ

Memory
Text:Jesus answered and said to him, Most
assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God(John 3:3, NKJV).

Nicodemus felt drawn to Christ but
dared not visit Him openly.
He greeted Jesus politely, acknowledging Him as a teacher from God. The
Master knew that behind this courteous greeting was a seeker of truth;
therefore, wasting no time, He told Nicodemus that he did not need
theoretical knowledge as much as he did spiritual regeneration, a new
birth.

This concept was hard for Nicodemus to grasp. Because of his
descent from Abraham, he was sure he had a place in God’s kingdom;
plus, as a strict Pharisee, he surely deserved the favor of God, right?
So, why did he need such a radical change?

Patiently, Jesus explained that spiritual transformation is a
supernatural work produced by the Holy Spirit. Though we cannot see or
understand how it happens, we can perceive the results. We call it
conversion, a new life in Christ.

Though we should always remember how the Lord called us and
converted us, our challenge is to steadfastly abide in Him daily so
that He can transform us more and more into His image.

*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath,
August 9.

Sunday August
3

To Be Born Again

A zealous Christian confronted a politician and asked her, Have
you been born again? Angry at what she deemed a personal
question, the politician replied, It worked the first time,
thank you.

Maybe it did, but considering our fallen nature, our first
birth isn’t enough, at least not for eternal life. For that, we must be
born again.

Read
Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus
in John 3:1-15. How did Jesus explain what it meant to be born again?

No doubt Nicodemus, a teacher in Israel, knew the Old
Testament Scriptures, which speak about the need for a new
heart and God’s willingness to create it in us (Ps.
51:10, Ezek. 36:26). Jesus explained to Nicodemus this truth
and how it can happen.

The dialogue recorded by John ends with Jesus’ words. No
answer from Nicodemus. He probably went home immersed in profound
reflections. Quietly, the Holy Spirit worked in him, and three years
later he was ready to openly become Jesus’ disciple.

The fact that it is necessary to be born again
shows without a doubt that our previous birth is insufficient from a
spiritual standpoint. The new birth must be a double one: of water and
of the Spirit. In light of John the Baptist’s ministry, Nicodemus
easily understood that to be born of water referred to baptism with
water. What he also needed to know was that to be born of the Spirit is
the renewing of the heart by the Holy Spirit.

There are similarities between physical and spiritual births.
Both mark the beginning of a new life. Also, we produce neither birth
ourselves; it’s done for us. But there is also an important difference
between them: we were unable to choose if we wanted to be born
physically; we can, however, choose to be born spiritually. Only those
who freely decide to allow the Holy Spirit to generate a new spiritual
self within them are born again. God respects our freedom and, although
eager to transform us, He does not change us by force.

Think about the way in which the
Lord produced your conversion. It does not matter if it was through
dramatic circumstances or through a long and imperceptible process of
transformation. How have you experienced the new birth?

Monday August
4

The New Life in Christ

Being born again is possible only through the work of the Holy
Spirit. Jesus made use of the fact that the Greek word pneuma
means both Spirit and wind in
order to illustrate the process of conversion (John 3:8).
The wind blows; none of us can start it, direct it, nor stop it. Its
great power is beyond human control. We can only react to it, either
resisting it or using its potential for our benefit.

Likewise, the Holy Spirit is constantly working upon the heart
of every human being, drawing him or her to Christ. No one has control
over its great saving and transforming power. We can resist it or yield
to it. When we surrender ourselves to His convicting influence, the
Holy Spirit produces a new life in us.

Is there any way to know if we have experienced the new birth?
Yes. The Spirit works invisibly, but the results of
His activity are visible. Those around us will know that Jesus created
a new heart in us. The Spirit always produces an outward demonstration
of the inward transformation He makes in us. As Jesus said, by
their fruits you will know them(Matt. 7:20, NKJV).

The new life in Christ is not a patched-up life with a few
external reformations. It is not a modification or improvement of the
old life but a complete transformation.

What
do the following texts tell us about
what the new birth will accomplish in us? Titus 3:5-7, 2 Cor.
5:17, Gal. 6:15.

Through the Holy Spirit, Christ implants in us new thoughts,
feelings, and motives. He awakens our conscience, changes our mind,
subdues every unholy desire, and fills us with the sweet peace of
heaven. Though the change doesn’t happen instantly, over time we do
become a new creature in Christ. We have to, because the original
version, the one that came out of the womb, isn’t right with God.

Meditate on your life during the
last twenty-four hours. To what degree did those who relate with you
perceive Christ in your words, attitudes, and actions? Pray about those
traits of character that still need to be modeled by the Holy Spirit.

TuesdayAugust
5

Abiding in Christ

A flourishing spiritual life is possible only by constantly
depending on Christ. Jesus used the illustration of the vine to teach
us how to accomplish this. I am the vine, you are the
branches, said Jesus (John 15:5, NKJV).
In the Old Testament, Israel was depicted as a vine that the Lord had
planted (Isa. 5:1-7; Ps. 80:8-9; Jer. 2:21), but
Jesus presents Himself as the true vine(John
15:1) and urges His followers to be united with Him just as
the branches abide in the vine.

What
do these texts teach us about
abiding continually in Christ? See John 15:4-10.

A branch recently separated from the vine may appear alive for
a while, but it will surely wither and die because it has been cut off
from the source of life. By the same token, we can receive life only
through our connection with Christ. But in order to be effective, this
union must be maintained. Devotional time in the morning is essential,
but our communion with the Lord has to continue throughout the day.
Abiding in Christ means seeking Him constantly, asking for His
guidance, praying for His strength to obey His will, and begging for
His love to fill us.

One of the most deceitful traps is to try to live the
Christian life independently from the Lord. Without Me you
can do nothing(John 15:5, NKJV). Without
Him we cannot resist even one temptation, overcome one sin, or develop
a character in His likeness. The new spiritual life can grow only by
means of an uninterrupted communion with Christ.

By reading the Word and meditating on it, we are nourished and
strengthened. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and
they are life, said Jesus (John 6:63, NKJV).
Treasured in our hearts and minds, these words will inspire our prayers
in order to keep us in contact with the Lord. Though it’s easy to be
distracted by the cares of this world(Mark
4:19, NKJV), we must make a concentrated effort to abide in
Jesus.

What are the greatest obstacles
that prevent you from abiding constantly in Christ? What steps can you
take in order to remove or overcome them?

WednesdayAugust
6

Prayer

Along with studying the Bible, prayer is indispensable in
order for us to abide in Christ and grow spiritually. Even Jesus
Himself needed prayer to be united with the Father. He left us an
example of a life of prayer. Prayer marked the crucial moments of His
life. He prayed when He was baptized. He often prayed in solitary
places before daylight or on the mountain after sunset. Sometimes He
spent the whole night praying, such as when He chose the Twelve
Apostles. He prayed to resurrect Lazarus. Not even the Cross deterred
Him from praying.

If the Father knows the things you have need of
before you ask Him(Matt. 6:8, NKJV), why
do we need to present Him our needs in prayer? Because through prayer,
we learn to empty ourselves of ourselves and become more dependent upon
Him.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will
find; knock, and it will be opened to you is Jesus’ promise (Matt.
7:7, NKJV). Although we do not need to impress Him by endless
prayers of vain repetitions (Matt. 6:5-9), we need
to persevere in prayer, clinging to His promises (John 15:7,
16:24) no matter what.

How
can the different parts of the Lord’s
Prayer help us to grow in Christ? See Matt. 6:9-13.

Jesus is our Mediator in Heaven. Therefore, He instructed us
to address our prayers to the Father in His name. Most
assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will
give you(John 16:23, NKJV). Christ
taught that there are certain conditions in order for this wonderful
promise to be fulfilled. We need to believe that God can answer us (Matt.
21:22). An attitude of forgiveness toward our neighbor is
required (Mark 11:25). Most important, our will
should always be subordinated to the Father’s will (Matt.
6:10, Luke 22:42). And any delay in the
answer should not discourage us; on the contrary, we need to always
pray and not give up (Luke 18:1).

Lord, teach us to pray(Luke 11:1) is always a relevant request, no matter
how long ago we accepted Christ as our Savior. In what aspect of your
prayer life do you still need to grow by the grace of God?

ThursdayAugust
7

Die to Self Every Day

Paradoxically, it is only by dying that we may truly live.
When baptized, we (ideally) died to our old nature and rose again to a
new life. It would have been wonderful if the old man of sin had
permanently died when we were buried under baptismal waters. Sooner or
later, however, all of us have discovered that our past habits and
tendencies are still alive and do strive to regain control of our
lives. After our baptism, our old nature has to be put to death again
and again. That is why Jesus associated the Christian life with a cross.

What
does Luke 9:23-24 mean?

Many think the cross they have to bear is a serious sickness,
unfavorable circumstances in life, or a permanent disability. While any
of these surely is heavy, the meaning of Jesus’ words goes further. To
take up our cross means to deny ourselves daily. Not just once in a
while but every day; not just a part of us but our entire being.

The Christian life is a cruciform life. I have been
crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in
me(Gal. 2:20, NKJV). In the ancient
world, the victims of crucifixion did not die immediately. Usually,
they agonized for many hours, sometimes several days, while hanging on
the cross. Our old nature, although crucified, fights to survive and
get down from the cross.

It is not easy to deny ourselves. Our old nature lingers on;
our old man doesn’t want to die. Moreover, we cannot nail ourselves to
the cross. No man can empty himself of self. We can only
consent for Christ to accomplish the work. Then the language of the
soul will be, Lord, take my heart; for I cannot give it. It is Thy
property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for Thee. Save me in spite
of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mold me, fashion me, raise me
into a pure and holy atmosphere, where the rich current of Thy love can
flow through my soul.

It is not only at the beginning of the Christian
life that this renunciation of self is to be made. At every advance
step heavenward it is to be renewed. . . . Only by constant
renunciation of self and dependence on Christ can we walk safely.
— Ellen G. White, Christ’s
Object Lessons, pp. 159,
160. There must be a daily surrendering to the Lord.

When was the last time you died
to self? What does your answer say to you, especially in light of
today’s texts?

The warfare against self is the greatest battle that
was ever fought. The yielding of self, surrendering all to the will of
God, requires a struggle; but the soul must submit to God before it can
be renewed in holiness. — Ellen G. White, Steps to
Christ, p. 43.

We cannot retain our own self and be filled with the
fullness of God. We must be emptied of self. If heaven is gained by us
at last, it will be only through the renunciation of self and in
receiving the mind, the spirit, and the will of Christ Jesus.
— Ellen G. White, In
Heavenly Places, p. 155.

When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart,
it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are
renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and
strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects
the light of heaven. . . . The blessing comes when by faith the soul
surrenders itself to God. Then that power which no human eye can see
creates a new being in the image of God. — Ellen G. White, The
Desire of Ages, p.173.

Discussion Questions:

What is your own experience in what it means to abide in
Christ? What happens when you connect with Jesus? What happens when you
don’t?

Who hasn’t struggled with the issue of prayers that are
not answered, at least as we have prayed them? How do you maintain
faith in God and in His promises in the face of requests that have not
been answered as you wanted? What crucial things must we always keep in
mind in such situations?

What is it about self, about the very nature of self, that
we are called to deny it daily? Look at it this way: if you didn’t deny
self, if you allowed self to dominate all that you thought or did, what
kind of life would you live? Would it, in any way, resemble that of our
Master? What does your answer tell you about yourself apart from Christ?

Inside
Story~
South American Division:
Peru

Faithful Renalto

Renalto and his parents live in a town on the beach in
northern Peru. When he was 8 years old, his mother lost her job. The
family faced difficult financial times. Renalto’s younger brother was
sick, and Mother had to stay home with him. So Renalto walked the few
blocks to church alone. He prayed that God would help his family be
able to attend church together again.

Then an Adventist couple moved into a home on the beach near
Renalto’s home. They learned that Renalto’s mother was a cook and
invited her to open a restaurant on the porch of their home. You
can even rent part of our house, the couple said. That
way you’ll be close to your work and your children.

The family moved into the couple’s home, and his mother’s
restaurant has become well known among tourists visiting the beach.
Father completed his studies and found a better job. At last Renalto
and his family could attend worship together in the little Adventist
church in town.

The Adventist couple invited Renalto to study the Bible with
them, and he accepted. Renalto invited some of his classmates to study
the Bible with him. But when Renalto asked his Adventist friends to
study with his classmates, they urged him to have his own small group. We’ll
help you, they encouraged.

Renalto began studying with his friends. More children came,
and the group grew. When the studies ended, Renalto and Sandra, one of
his classmates, were baptized together. Sandra invited Renalto to start
a small group in her house. Soon another small group had formed.

Sandra’s father was not a Christian, but he had seen the
changes in Sandra’s life. He listened to the children’s small-group
discussions, and in time he accepted Jesus as his Savior. Sandra’s
parents began worshipping in the little Adventist church too. Her
parents invited some of their friends to the children’s small group,
and soon it had more adults than children. A woman in the church
offered to lead the adults in their own group. Today 15 to 18 people
attend the adult small group every week.

Renalto and Sandra’s small group has moved to the church,
where 25 or more children, many from the neighborhood, attend every
week. Renalto helps lead the group, though he is one of the youngest
there. He tells them, Remember when I invited you to the
small group? Now it’s your turn to invite your friends to come.
And in this way the group has grown.

In 2012 part of a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering helped provide
teaching materials for children who lead small groups in Peru. Thank
you for making it possible to share God’s love with others through this
successful program in Peru and throughout South America.

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